Public Safety

By SHAINA STOCKTON, Staff
Galax police arrested Doyal Ray Blankenship Jr., 52, of Galax on Tuesday and charged him with arson after firefighters fought a blaze at a home in West Galax that morning.
Blankenship was charged after the Galax Fire Department received a call to a structure fire on Waugh Drive, according to Police Chief Rick Clark.

HILLSVILLE — Carroll County residents who receive a supposed “deed processing notice” from a company called Property Transfer Service should throw it in the trash, says the circuit court clerk.
Two citizens who received such a notice — one at the cost of $83 — brought the matter to the attention of Circuit Court Clerk Carolyn Honeycutt, wondering if they actually owed any money.

By SHAINA STOCKTON, Staff
Uniformed officers from the Galax Police Department filled the rows of chairs on the right side of the Galax City Council Chamber at Monday night’s meeting as Chief Rick Clark presented the department’s annual report for 2012.
Clark reported to council members that some forms of crime (assault, burglary, fraud) were down last year, while others (narcotics, DUI arrests, alcohol-related crimes) were on the rise.

The Galax Police Department is looking for information to help solve a vandalism at Galax Auto Sales. The incident is believed to have occurred either Saturday night, February 23 or early Sunday.
If anyone has helpful information that could assist the department in solving this case, call 236-8101 or text "Galax" followed by the information to TIP411 (847411)

Two Independence women were injured, one seriously, in a Feb. 19 accident on Virginia Route 274 near Virginia 94, according to a Virginia State Police report.
The incident occurred at about 10 a.m. when 36-year-old Joy Hawks lost control of a 2002 Chevy Cavalier, went off the road to the right and struck a tree, according to a report by Trooper C.W. Keesling.
Both Hawks and a passenger, Destina Upchurch, were transported to Twin County Regional Hospital for treatment.
Hawks was transferred to another hospital by helicopter.
Charges are pending.